


Bunk Mates

by kiyokitsune



Category: Free!
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Reader-Insert
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-02
Updated: 2017-08-29
Packaged: 2018-09-27 22:03:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,827
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10053392
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kiyokitsune/pseuds/kiyokitsune
Summary: Well, you try finding a beach house that fits nine people!





	1. Chapter 1

Never again would you complain about a long car trip. Being in a van with restless and bored Momo and Nagisa had taken years off of your life. It was like traveling with two hyperactive dogs. Poor Nitori tried to drown out the activity by cowering in the backseat with you, headphones clamped tightly over his ears.  


Luckily, because Haru spent the majority of the trip sound asleep with his face squished against the window, those rowdy party animals were hushed multiple times by Rin and Makoto. . But despite the noise he didn’t wake up. At least, until Rei mentioned that the weary caravan had reached the beach. At the mention of driving by the ocean, Haru had shot up and stared shiny-eyed outside the window until you all had arrived at the large condo you were staying at.  


The van doors flew open. “We’re here,” Sousuke announced from the driver’s seat. “About time! I thought I was gonna die if I stayed in that van one more second!” Momo and Nagisa stretched their legs by running through the condo to investigate every nook and cranny. “Oi, Momo! Get back outside; we’ve got to carry in all the luggage!” Rin yelled at the door in frustration. “Yeesh, you’d think those two had never seen a beach house before.”  


“I’m surprised ____ was able to find a big enough house for all of us. How did you do it?” Makoto asked. “Frankly, I don’t know either, Makoto. My family does have a condo around here, but it’s way tinier than this!” You began dragging in a suitcase as you talked. “But it’s not a mansion, keep in mind. Two bedrooms have two twin beds each, and the third has two twins and a pullout couch.” “But wait...that’s only enough for seven. What about the last two people here?”asked Haru.  


You took a deep breath and looked to the side. “Yeah, that’s the kicker. The only other place to sleep is a bunk bed built into the hall. So that means-” Nagisa, who had made a speedy return, caught on and grinned happily. “One of us gets to sleep with ____-chan!” Rei, with a face as red as the setting sun, grabbed Nagisa and cried out,“Nagisa-kun, not so loud! That’s amazingly inappropriate out of context!”  


The rest of the group meditated on this new development. Then Sousuke spoke up. “But why can’t the eighth guy take the living room couch?” “The furniture is so old, I don’t think that would be good for anyone’s back. Especially a competitive swimmer.” Nitori quipped. “No one would try anything serious anyway. There’s too many people for anything to happen. And it’s better than the floor…” You nodded. “I really don’t mind at all, you guys.” This broke up some of the awkwardness in the room, but one thing was still on the guy’s minds: who was going to be the lucky guy that would get the top bunk?  


Eventually, Haru couldn’t resist staying inside when there was a whole ocean of water just waiting to be swam in. So all the guys left to have some fun while you unpacked and got situated. The waves were warm from all the sunshine that day, but even if it had been freezing, cold water wouldn’t have kept Haru out of the ocean anyway.  
All that pent-up energy from the long car ride was well-spent on water fights, swimming, and making sand sculptures. Nagisa, Momo, and Nitori all worked together to create a tall sculpture of Iwatobi-chan that would, unfortunately, eventually be washed away by the waves. Rin and Sousuke weren’t about to let this moment to train pass them up, so they were racing each other back and forth between a nearby sandbar and the shore. Makoto and Rei acted as the moms of the group, keeping track of the time and making sure Haru didn’t drown himself floating out so far from the beach on his back.  


Meanwhile, you were enjoying the peace and quiet in the empty house. The balcony off of the kitchen had a beautiful view of the beach and of the small town a few blocks away. As the sun set the sky on fire, lights from the restaurant patios lit up like fireflies in the night. A few seagulls glided to a tree to rest until morning. It was a peaceful night.  


Well, at least until the boys returned home with some to-go from a local pizza restaurant in that beach town. While Makoto and Sousuke balanced the boxes, Momo and Nagisa ran into the house jubilantly with sandy feet and a slice of pizza each hanging out of their mouths. It wasn’t a fancy meal, but in certain circumstances such as a vacation with friends, even greasy pizza boxes piled high can be as good of a supper as a fancy meal.  


The procession carried on long after all the boxes had been discarded. Truth be told, you all lost track of the time. But as soon as the first years’ energy ran out and they fell over exhausted on the floor, the party broke fellowship and started heading to bed. As they left, you asked, “Wait, we didn't decide on who’s with me tonight!” Sousuke replied, “We guys did. While we were all on the beach.” He ruffled your hair. “But you don’t care anyways, right? If all goes well, you won’t even know. We’ll try to be quiet for you, ____. It’s the least we could do to thank you for planning this trip.”  


Everyone said their goodnights to you (Momo had simply mumbled “G’nite, ____”) and went to the bathrooms to wash up. Meanwhile, since you had already taken care of things beforehand, you climbed in bed and tried not to imagine whoever it was that would be sleeping with you. “What if it’s...him?” you thought, smiling. “Heh, what are the chances, though? One in eight? Terrible odds. I may as well not think about it.” And as soon as that thought crossed your mind, the lights went out in the hallway, the doors shut, and everything was silent save for the whisper of the ocean breeze on the curtains. As you fell asleep, someone climbed into the other bed, making the mattress squeak under their weight...


	2. Haru's Ending

“I don’t understand what you’re getting at, Makoto.” Rei was puzzled. “Why would Haru want to sleep with ___?” “Rei, listen to me. This isn’t about Haru liking ___. Haru practically is married to the nearest body of water everywhere we go. I’m pretty sure that if we don’t give him the bed with ___...” Makoto’s face darkened and his voice dulled. “He’ll spend the night in the bathtub and get wrinkly, and his back will hurt from sleeping sitting up, and then I’ll have to deal with him all-” Rei waved his hands. “I get it, I get it! Don’t worry, Makoto, I’m sure ___ will keep him in check. She’s a good girl.” “Yeah, you’re right. I have nothing to worry about.” 

Makoto waded out in the waves until his ankles were covered. He cupped his hands. “Haru! Come here!” There was no response; Haru just looked up in Makoto’s direction and resumed floating. Rin and Sousuke had just finished a race and had overheard Makoto calling Haru. “Oi, Makoto, you’re not doing it right.” Rin joked. “Let a pro show you how to get Haru.” Rin called out in a loud monotone voice,“Gee, look at all this grilled mackerel. However shall we eat it all?” 

There was a crescendo of splashing as Haru came barrelling out of the water. Water was dripping out of his soaked hair and his eyes were bright like a dog waiting for a treat. He looked around restlessly. “Where’s the saba?” “Quit thinking about saba and swimming for a sec!” Rin slapped the back of Haru’s head with his hand. Makoto faced Haru. “We’ve decided that you’re sleeping with ___ during the trip so you won’t spend every night in the bathtub.” “But I like the bathtub. It’s comfortable.” “No, it’s not. Last time I let you sleep in the bathtub your back was sore all day! I’m doing this for your own good.” 

Haru looked as expressionless as always, but from years of knowing the guy Makoto could tell he was pouty. Nagisa had heard a few snippets of the conversation, so in true Nagisa fashion, he tried to lighten the mood. “Look on the bright side, Haru-chan! At least you won’t have to sleep with Rin!” “What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Rin snapped. Sousuke laughed. “Rin, don’t play dumb. We know how you latch on to the nearest person or pillow when you sleep. ” “SHUT UP, SOUSUKE!” shouted a majorly pissed off Rin. He punched Sousuke in the arm as the rest of the guys burst into laughter. 

So when everybody went to bed a few hours later, Haru kept to his word...by not keeping to his word. He tried to blend in with the bathroom and stay hidden, but Makoto knew how to sniff him out. He pulled Haru out of the tub and made him put on some pajamas and go to bed. “Can I at least keep my swimsuit on?” Haru asked. Makoto was too tired to care. “Yes, Haru, you can keep your cold wet swimsuit on. Go ahead and freeze for all I care. Just please go to sleep and try not to wake up ___.” He walked away, mumbling to himself to take some Advil before he went to sleep. 

Haru covered himself with the comforter and tried to get comfortable. But every way he positioned his body was less relaxing than the last. He wished he was back in the water again; since the condo was so large, the bathtub was fancy and had cushions for the neck and head. “Makoto’s not here…” he thought. “I can do whatever I want.” Haru lay still for a moment to make sure you weren’t awake. Then he quietly made his way down the ladder to the floor. Before sneaking off to the bathroom, he checked you over one last time. You were sound asleep, and some of your hair was draped over the side of the pillow. “Good,” he thought, “I can make it.” 

He crept down the hallway into the bathroom and turned the taps, letting a stream of warm water flow into the tub. He stripped off his pajamas and climbed into the tub. It felt heavenly as the bathwater gradually covered Haru’s body. He was just starting to get comfortable when the doorknob clicked and turned. Haru stared at the door like a deer in the headlights, certain that he’d been caught wet-handed by Makoto. But it was only you going to get some water without going all the way to the kitchen. You and Haru didn’t break your gaze for a few seconds of silence. Then Haru spoke up. “Don’t tell Makoto.” You processed this, and then started laughing. Haru was clueless. “What’s so funny, ___?” You covered your mouth to try and stop laughing, then answered him as nonchalantly as you could. “Nothing, nothing. It’s just...you looked like the cat that ate the canary.” “But cats hate water.” “Right, right, they can’t. Then you’re...a shark.” Haru looked away in what looked like an annoyed manner but was really just his same indifferent face. “No, that’s Rin.” 

“That aside...you know Makoto’s gonna kill you tomorrow?” “I don’t care. I have a date with this bathtub.” You gasped and said in a mocking tone, “Ohhhhh, then exCUSE me, sir Haru, for disturbing you and Princess H2O on your date. I’ll just leave you to make out with the water.” You were, of course, not really going to leave the room. But the reason you stopped the act was not to end the joke, but because Haru grabbed your hand. He murmured shyly, “...don’t go. You should stay a little longer.” You were intrigued. “Why? I figured you just sat in here and stewed about mackerel and salt water and all that.” “Well, I think you should try it.” “Try what?” Haru looked you straight in the face with the only part of his face you could read: his eyes. “Try spending the night in the water.” 

A few seconds of silence went by. Then you sighed in defeat. “Haruka Nanase, you’re lucky Momo double-dared me to ‘do a Haru’ and wear my swimsuit to bed tonight.” You flung off the T-shirt you’d been sleeping in, revealing a one-piece swimsuit underneath. As you pulled back your hair, you could see that Haru still hadn’t taken his eyes off of you. “Aw man, stop looking at me with them big ole eyes…” you giggled nervously. Haru took a deep breath. “___…” You held your breath as Haru asked you the question he’d been wanting to ask you all night. “You wanna get in the water now?” “Sure! Oh my gosh, for a second there I thought you were gonna tell me some mushy crap to woo me, like that I was the most beautiful girl in the world.” “Don’t be silly, ___.” Haru held out his hand to help you into the tub. “Everybody looks the same when they’re in the water.” You didn’t know whether that was a compliment or an insult, and instead just took Haru’s hand and climbed in. But a problem soon arose: Haru had miscalculated how slippery the tub floor was. Your foot slid against the bottom of the tub, causing you to slip onto...Haru’s chest. 

Haru started blushing, and by blushing I mean screaming inside his head while his cheeks barely showed any pink tint. You didn’t realize the situation you were in-“There, now we both fit perfectly.”-until it was too late. Now you were apologizing. “Ah, I’m sorry, I’m sorry! I’ll leave if you want me to!” Haru cut you off. “No, no it’s alright! I never get visitors when I do my midnight soaks like this. Well, except for Makoto. But those aren’t really visits…” The air in the room was rank with awkwardness and silence for a minute or two. Once again Haru broke silence by asking, “So what should we talk about?” You knew exactly what Haru wanted to hear. He started rattling on about the ocean as soon as you told him, “Let’s talk about...water.” ~~~~ 

Nitori’s eyes popped open. He was on the floor, and above him was Momo spread out like a starfish. Nitori left the bedroom and stretched in the hallway, his cracking vertebrae waking him up even more. He opened the bathroom door to fix his hair before breakfast...and saw Haru beginning to get out of the now empty bathtub. “N-N-N-Nanase! What are you-” Haru shushed him, then looked back at your sleeping body. He’d draped a clean towel over you to try and keep you warm. “Don’t tell anyone, Nitori.” Too late. Rin had already risen early as well and was off to do what Nitori had intended to do. His reaction to your...water bed...wasn’t so lax. “HARUKA, ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?! She’s going to catch cold like that!” “Why do you think I have the towel?” He gingerly grabbed you in his arms and stood up, the towel still covering your stomach. You chose this moment to wake up, and the first thing you heard was Haru telling a pissed-off Rin and dying-inside Nitori, “Now if you two will excuse us, I think ___ needs to get into some warm clothes. After all, we’re hitting the beach again today and I want her to enjoy the beautiful surf.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I guess you could say that night went swimmingly?  
> I loved writing this ending and at times I was too flustered to keep writing. But my favorite boy will always be Rin


	3. Nagisa's Ending

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was the most fun for me to write out of all the chapters I've written thus far. But you can probably tell that by the way I wrote it.  
> I gave Nagisa a little-brother personality and added in some sugar to give you all the perfect Nagisa you see here. Hope you like him ^^

“Nagisa, I forbid you from eating anymore sugary food!” Rei took the plate holding a piece of strawberry cake and held it above his head. The boys had brought a few sweets back from a bakery near your beach house to thank you for the trip. But a majority of the strawberry cake was most definitely going to end up in Nagisa’s stomach before the night, and the vacation, was over. Nagisa started whining. “Rei-channnn, gimme back my cake! I promise that’s the last slice!” “You’ve got that right, mister,” Rei scolded. “If you eat too much, you’ll get a stomachache and be miserable the whole vacation. And that’s why I’m also putting this cake on top of the kitchen cabinet, to keep you from filching it.” As he was carrying the plate to the kitchen, Nagisa frantically started to object. “No, no, no, don’t do that! I promise I won’t eat any!” “How do I know you’re telling the truth, and that you won’t come gobble it up after we’re all asleep?” Rei’s glasses flashed. Nagisa winked. “How about we make a deal? I’ll keep away from that sugary goodness...if you convince everyone to let me sleep with ___.” Rei was taken aback. “Nagisa, I never thought you were interested in her.” “It’s not just that, Rei-chan. My sisters never let me take the top bed at home! I wanna feel tall!” Rei was amused at this, but agreed. “Alright, anything to bump this nasty habit of yours. But you also have to promise me,” he pointed at Nagisa, “that no matter what, you won’t wake me up in the middle of the night because you can’t sleep because of a sugar high. Deal?” “Deal!”  
Fast-forward to the present time: It was silent in the beach house. You were sound asleep until...“___-chan…” You heard someone whispering your name. “___-chan, are you awake?” You slowly opened your eyes, wondering how morning could have come so quickly, and were met with a penguin in your face. Still sleepy, you patted the penguin’s head. “Where’d you come from, little guy?’ You giggled. The penguin was pulled up towards the top bed and was replaced by a hand beckoning you to look up. You pulled yourself forward and saw that Nagisa was looking down at you. He started grinning. “You’re awake! Thank goodness, I was kinda bored waiting for the sun to rise.” You laughed. “How long have you been waiting for me to wake up? And why didn’t you just go get Rei?” “Rei told me I couldn’t wake him up tonight, so I’ve been sitting here for a while with Pen-chan. Then I got bored, so I called your name!” He reached behind his back and grabbed his penguin plush. “Can I come down?” “I don’t see why not, just be careful you don’t-” Nagisa dropped the penguin down to you. “Hold this, ___-chan.” Then, almost immediately after he whispered that, Nagisa pushed himself off of his bed and onto the floor with a loud THUMP. You shushed him. “Shhhh, Nagisa, I told you to be quiet!” A light came on from underneath one of the doors. Nagisa giggled. “Lemme in, I gotta hide! That’s Rei’s room!” Without waiting for an answer he launched himself behind the small ladder and into a corner of your bed. He put one finger to his lips to signal for you to be quiet as footsteps echoed through the hall. You turned around and saw Rei making his way down the hallway, looking steamed. You tried your hardest to hold back laughter after seeing that Rei’s silk pajamas were covered in lavender butterflies. He was very angry. “Is Nagisa with you, ___?” You glanced at the corner where Nagisa was hiding. His eyes were begging you to not reveal him. You looked back at Rei. “Uh...well, yes, he is. We can’t sleep because we all were in the car for hours.” You grabbed the stuffed penguin Nagisa had neglected to nab when he had hidden. “Nagisa was just showing me Pen-chan.” Rei appeared to be satisfied with this answer because he apologized for bothering you and went back to his room. After a few seconds of silence, Nagisa crawled back into the light. “You didn’t have to tell him I was with you,” he pouted. You started snickering. “Nagisa, did you see those pajamas?” “Yeah, I know, they’re terrible. But you should see the other butterfly stuff he has. Last year for his birthday, I bought him a caterpillar sleeping bag as a joke and he got so pissed off!” Now both of you were burying your faces in pillows to stifle the laughter. Nagisa caught his breath and whispered, “But he secretly uses it all the time.” You almost let out a huge laugh that would’ve woken up everyone in the house. “You-you’re terrible,” you said, shaking with mirth. Nagisa stuck out his tongue playfully. “I know~” Nagisa reached into one of the pockets on his pajama top and pulled out some cookies. You narrowed your eyes. “I thought you weren’t supposed to have anymore sweets?” “Rei said I can’t have anymore cake. He didn’t say anything about cookies.” He opened the bag. “Besides, I think we should make this like a real sleepover, and we can’t do that without snacks!” You sighed and took a cookie from the bag. “I guess that sounds reasonable.”  
A hour or so passed. The snacks had long since been devoured, leaving a few crumbs on your comforter. Now you and Nagisa were laying side-by-side, talking about whatever crossed your minds. “How in the world are you able to process that much sugar?” “I don’t know, ___, I just don’t know. It’s a gift, really.” “Yeah, but I bet you get one hell of a sugar crash afterwards.” Nagisa yawned and rolled towards you to get comfy. “What’s a sugar crash, ___-chan? I think Rei may have told me about it...but I can’t remember it all.” You smiled at how cute Nagisa was being, whether it was on purpose or not. “When you eat a lot of sweets, the sugar gives you a burst of energy. But to make up for it, after the sugar gets absorbed you feel tired afterwards.” “Oh...you mean like now?” Nagisa started blinking more and more slowly. “Yes, like now.” You were feeling tired yourself, so you pulled the comforter up. Nagisa knew what this meant. “Nooooo ___-chan, I don’t wannaaaaa,” he whined, “I wanna stay up with you!” But his body was saying otherwise; he kept having to jerk his head back up because it kept falling forwards. You felt like a mother trying to put her child to bed. “Nagisa, it’s way past time for us to have gone to sleep. We’ve got a whole trip ahead of us and you wouldn’t want to be tired all day on the beach, would you?” Nagisa’s speech was beginning to slur. “No...guess not…” You continued. “Yeah, you’ve still got that cake to eat, remember.” “Cake…yummy cake...” “And the beach is waiting for you to go play on it again. And I can’t wait to-” You stopped when you felt his head hit your shoulder. To really make sure he was asleep, you started humming a song under your breath that always made you feel calm. It only took a few lines of the song for Nagisa’s breathing to slow and his muscles to completely relax. You rolled over to face away from him and closed your eyes, letting sleep cover you as well as the boy next to you.  
That next morning, everyone behaved like zoo spectators watching a baby animal walk for the first time. Makoto couldn’t get over the adorable scene under the top bed; during the night Nagisa had put his arms around your body in his sleep and was cuddling you like a stuffed animal. Speaking of which, poor Pen-chan had been abandoned on the floor for favor of a warmer, softer thing to hug. Nitori was trying to hold back Momo from disturbing the peace out of pure jealousy. “Argh, that lucky dog, getting to be all cozy with ___…” he grumbled. Finally Rei woke up and came to see what all the fuss was about. He almost knocked his glasses off trying to cover his face in embarrassment from seeing such an adorable situation. Having been used to Rei waking him up all the time, Nagisa woke up at the sound of his footsteps. The first thing he saw was you curled up next to him. He woke you up with a peck on the tip of your nose. “Wake up, ___-chan.” Your eyes fluttered open to meet his strawberry gaze. He pointed behind you. “Looks like we have an audience,” he giggled as you blushed from all the attention everyone was giving you. Rei cleared his throat. “Ahem, well, that’s enough of that. Anyone want pancakes?” Nagisa lit up at the sound of food and shot out of bed, taking you by the hand. He gleefully cried out, “Put a lot of strawberries and whipped cream on mine, Rei-chan!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Subsequent to the events you have just witnessed, Reader and Nagisa continued to stay up super-late and sleep in till noon, Rei was never able to keep that cake from this dynamic duo, Pen-chan was forever alone, and Momo was grumpy the whole trip out of jealousy.


	4. Rin's Ending

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Do you like Rin? Do you like Rin getting upset about his future? No? Well, too bad.

“That’s five to one, Sousuke! You’re buying us dinner tonight!” Rin stepped out of the tide rushing over the shore and pulled his goggles onto his forehead. Sousuke followed him up the beach as he continued. “I think I want some quality steak tonight….or maybe some fancy seafood...the possibilities are endless,” Rin taunted. “Well, whatever ‘his Highness’ picks, it has to be something ___ likes.” “Oh, yeah, of course.” The sun was beginning to sink low over the horizon, so the boys began to pack up their things. Nagisa was wrapped up in a towel, chatting with everyone he could talk to. “Do you think the sand Iwatobi-chan will still be here when ___-chan comes with us tomorrow?” Momo grinned. “Well, we built it so damn far up the beach, it had better be there when we come back!” “Momo-kun! Not so loud!” Nitori cried. The group strolled into a town square and decided they would bring home some pizza to eat. While they were waiting outside for the food, the conversation shifted to who would sleep where. When your name was mentioned, this was the only time that everyone fell dead silent. Except for Momo, of course. “Memememememe! I’ll do it! I’ll-” Rei shoved him aside. “No sir, I know what you’re thinking and I don’t think that’s a good idea.” “A-as your senpai,” Nitori tittered, “I agree, Momo-kun.” The conversation was broken by Rin coming outside with the food. “Have you boneheads decided on rooms yet?” “Not yet,” Sousuke answered, “besides Momo, that is.” Rin smiled at his teammate. “Let me guess, you wanted to spend the nights with ___? Tough luck…” He looked at the rest of the guys. “...Because I’m staying with her.” Everyone’s eyes widened. Rin continued. “What? It wasn’t like anyone else was gonna do it! I’m taking one for the team!” Nagisa elbowed Rin. “Yeah, sure, if that’s what you wanna call it.” “The hell is that supposed to mean?” The group of eight kept laughing as they made their way back to the beach house where you were awaiting them.  
Sandy feet and greasy cardboard boxes were everywhere in the living room. This was probably the best meal you all had eaten all day, and because the previous meals had been from drive-thru windows, that was saying something. Everyone was feeling very full and happy as they sat in the living room talking about whatever came to mind. Makoto was finishing up telling about the beach that night. “And then as soon as Rin mentioned mackerel, Haru came out of that water like he had been possessed by some hydrophobic ghost.” Haru looked at the ground and said through a mouthful of anchovies, “I wouldn’t say it was exactly like that…” Nagisa interrupted him. “___-chan, ___-chan! Wait until you see the giant Iwatobi-chan we made out of sand! It’s so tall!” “Pff, Nagisa, everything is tall to you.” Rei quipped. “Shut uuuuuuup!” Nagisa punched Rei in the arm and puffed his cheeks out, making him look like an angry hamster and making you laugh. “Geez, Nagisa, a punch?” you asked, stifling your laughter. Nagisa didn't reply, choosing to sit and pout instead. “He must just be tired,” Rei reasoned. “That’s why he’s so pouty.” “Yeah, I think we should all go to bed.” said Rin. He slapped Momo’s side. “Oi, Momo! We’re all going to bed!” Momo shot up. “Y-yes sir! Rin-senpai-sir!” Everybody dispersed, taking their trash to the plastic bag slung over the top of one of the tall chairs by the kitchen. You made it to the bathroom first and began to wash up when a quarrel started. “Where the hell is it?!” you heard Rin yell. “Where did you put it?” “Oh my god, Rin, shut up. It’s probably in your suitcase.” “No! No it isn’t, Sousuke! And don’t tell me to shut up!” The shouting was putting you on edge, so you went to Sousuke’s room to see what was wrong. Rin’s suitcase lay on Sousuke’s bed, clothes billowing out of it as though messily rummaged through. You asked, “What the hell are you two yelling about?” Sousuke punched Rin’s arm. “Shark Boy can’t find his stupid pillow that he can’t sleep without.” Rin angrily glared at Sousuke. “Why’d you tell her that?!” “She asked, I answered. Nothing to it.” Rin was red from embarrassment. You asked, “Have you checked everywhere it could be?” “Yeah, I even looked in the van! I must have left it at home!” Suddenly you had an idea. But you weren’t sure Rin would be willing to go along with it. You clasped your hands behind your back. “Well, you can use mine if you need to. I’d hate to see you grumpy during the trip from lack of sleep.” Rin’s eyes widened. “No, no, you don’t have to do that!” “But I insist, Rin.” Sousuke nudged Rin from behind. “Yeah, she insists, Rin.” Rin scowled, then looked back at you. “Okay, if you’re sure. Just leave it on the bottom bunk.” A few minutes later, after everyone had washed up, the house was silent. Gulping down the last of a glass of water, Rin walked out of the bathroom and into the hallway where you and he would be sleeping. Laid out in the middle of the comforter was a white pillow embroidered with your initials in the bottom left corner. Rin climbed under the covers, flinging the terrible flat-as-a-board pillow out from under his head and replacing it with yours. Immediately the smell of your shampoo enveloped him. It was a delicious smell that wove its way into his system with every breath, putting him into a sort of happy trance. He turned to one side and began to wait for sleep to come.   
You had been wrapped up like a fat caterpillar in a chrysalis, completely submerged in a thick mass of soft sheets and blanket, when a swishing sound woke you up. You were further torn from sleep at the sound of an aggravated grunt and a sigh. You tapped on the wood bedframe to get Rin’s attention. “Are you okay, Rin? You sound upset.” Rin moved to sit on the edge of his bed and looked up at you. “___? Yeah, I’m fine, I just can’t sleep. Sorry I woke you.” “It’s alright. Why can’t you sleep? Is it because you don’t have your pillow?” Rin blushed. “N-no, it’s not for something silly like that. Damn Sousuke and his big mouth. I don’t need it THAT much.” You giggled. “That’s not what Haru told me.” “Gah...anyway, I can’t sleep because I’m…” He hesitated. “I’m kind of worried.” “About what?” “About my future. About my team. About my friends.” You frowned, concerned, and began to climb down the ladder. Rin tried to stop you. “Oh, no, __, you don’t have to-” “Oh, but I do. You need to talk this out with someone, and I’m right here to listen to you.” You sat next to him on the bed. “Spill. And don’t hold back; I won’t tell a soul.” “Alright...I guess I’m just worried about what will happen in the future. Will I be a good team captain? Will I get to swim with everyone again?” Rin sighed. “And then there’s my dream. I want to do what my dad couldn’t do; be in the Olympics. Swimming is my life. It was his life. At least until I came along. I feel like I have to do this. I have to work hard.” “Well, isn’t that all you can do?” “Yeah, but what if it doesn’t work? What if something comes along to screw up everything I’ve been working for since my dad died?” Rin was starting to get very upset, so you tried to calm him down. “Well, you just have to hope that-” “Hope? Hope?! What did that ever do for my dad? He worked so hard to be an Olympic athlete. He was about to make it too. And where did all that get him?” He sniffled. “Dead in a fishing accident. He only took that job to support Mom and Gou and me. I...have to do this. But I’m so scared.” A big fat tear fell on the white sheets. “ And the guys. I’ve known them since we were kids. I’ve only got a little while longer with them, and I may ever see them again after we graduate. We’ll never get this time together back once it’s gone, so I have to cherish all this time I have left before we all leave and never see each other again.” He was full on crying now. “I want to swim for a reason! It’s not just a club for me now. I wanna swim for my dad, for Haru and Makoto and Nagisa, for my team back at Samezuka. But I’m terrified that my future will screw me over that i just..I can’t-” He sniffed and wiped his eyes on his sleeve. “Gah, I’m sorry I bothered you with all this. I should’ve just shut up and kept it in.” You grabbed Rin’s hand. “Rin...how long has this gone on? How long have you been worried about this?” “Years. I’m always thinking about it. It never goes away.” You tightened your grip. “Then it’s good you told me. Don’t you feel better getting that off your chest?” “...I guess.” You smiled. Rin could be so cold and yet so emotional. “Now that I’ve listened to you, I want you to listen to me.” You sighed. “There is a lot to worry about when it comes to what will happen in the future. But there’s really no way of knowing, is there? So all you can do is believe tomorrow will be a good day. Believing is the first step. And then you have to work to MAKE it a good day. Things might not always go the way you planned, but you have to just roll with it. Like your dad did.” Rin squeezed your hand. You continued, smiling softly. “Rin, your dad did have to give up his dream. And it wasn’t what he wanted at first, I’m sure. But think about this: he gave up on his dream..” you pointed to Rin’s chest. “...to make sure you had the drive to whatever it was you wanted to do. And you WILL make it to the Olympics. You WILL see Haru and the gang again after you graduate. And you’re going to be the greatest person you can be. But you have to believe that no matter what happens, according to plan or not, it will be a good day.”   
Silence hung over the hall. Then...you felt yourself being pulled forward into Rin’s arms. He held on to your little body in a crushing hug, and you could feel more tears on your pajama top. “___...you’re right. You’re so right. I can’t believe how much of an idiot I was.” You could tell he was smiling from the tone of his voice. He sounded so grateful. “I...I’m going to be the greatest swimmer I can be and make my old man proud. Thank you so much. There goes a huge weight off my shoulders.” He laughed. “I could kiss you right now, I’m so happy.” You took in a sharp breath. That came way out of left field. Rin shot up. “Ah...I mean...I wouldn’t actually-Not that you aren’t kissable-I just-we don’t really know each other that well, it would be awkward and-” You held a finger to his lips. “Sleep deprivation talking?” “Yeah, maybe. What time is it?” You checked your phone and blanched. “Late.” He grinned. “I think we’ve both been up long enough, Ms. Motivational Speaker. You need to get some sleep so the first-years don’t bowl you over on the beach, and I need to rest up so I can practice my strokes in the ocean.” “Fair enough. Sweet dreams, shark boy. Try not to drool on my pillowcase.”   
The next day, you stayed on the shore pretty much all day helping the first-years rebuild Sand Iwatobi-chan. While Nagisa went on and on leading the small construction team, you stood up to go soak in the surf. You sat by Makoto and Sousuke, who were watching the waves (and Haru). “Does that guy ever stop swimming?” “No. He practically worships water. One time he tried to soak in a fish tank,” Makoto whined. You laughed. “Well, at least Rin has someone to practice with for the Olympics.” Sousuke raise an eyebrow. “How do you know about Rin wanting to be in the Olympics? What did you two do last night?” You were about to answer, but were interrupted by loud splashes. “Whoo, that was a good couple of laps. I think I need a break.” “Not too long of a break, though. We wouldn’t want those big strong arms to shrink and make you look like an ass on national TV by losing a race.” Rin started to walk towards the cooler to get a Coke. He was followed by the rest of your group, since it was around lunch time anyways. “Oi, Rin, what’s with you and ___? What happened last night?” asked Makoto. “Were you canoodling in the hall?” Momo gasped. “Man, I want a cute girl to canoodle with.” This remark caused Rin to slap him. “Get your head out of the gutter, Mikoshiba. We just talked.” “Did you manage without your precious pillow, Rin-chan?” Nagisa piped up. “What do you mean did I-” “Oh, don’t even get me started.” You butted in, smirking. “Poor guy was tossing and turning so much, I practically got no sleep.” “Really? Sounds like a rough night.” “She’s lying! Sousuke!” Everyone laughed and started to dig into the food and drinks--none of those drinks being a Coke because Sousuke had snatched up the last one. “What the actual hell, Sousuke? You know those are my favorite!” “Yeah, and you’re so freaking good at Rock Paper Scissors that I never get to have one. Now I’m taking my revenge!” He ran down the beach with Rin in hot pursuit. “YOU GET BACK HERE YOU UTTER TURD!” You couldn’t help but laugh. For someone so hung up on the idea of growing up too fast and running out of time to enjoy the present...he sure did act like a little kid when it came to soda.   
Rin eventually gave up trying to capture his precious carbonated drink and let Sousuke have it. While they were walking back to join everybody, Sousuke asked Rin, “So what did you and ___ talk about last night?” Rin sighed. “I don’t know, I was just thinking really hard about my career after I graduate and I woke her up while I was tossing and turning in bed. I spilled everything to her and she encouraged me to just enjoy the present. It wasn’t anything too bad.” There was silence for a few seconds before Sousuke smirked. “Did you cry?” “Wha-what?! NO! WHY WOULD YOU THINK I-” “You big baby.” “SOUSUKE WHY ARE WE EVEN FRIENDS?!” “Because I’m the only guy you know outside of the Iwatobi guys that doesn’t call you gay when you cry like a little girl.” “What about Nitori and Momo?” “Rin, Nitori is too timid to say that and you’d bury Momo alive if he did.” “True.” “But then again, you can’t be gay, can you? I mean, I don’t know what you’d call it, but whatever it is...” Rin laughed. “What are you tryn’na say, Sousuke?” Sousuke raised one eyebrow. “I’ve seen how you look at ___. ‘Taking one for the team’, my ass.” Rin started to stutter out an excuse. “Sh-shut up! If you tell anyone, I’ll-” Sousuke started running up the beach. “Oi, where are you-” “Tell everyone? That’s a great idea! I’m sure ___ would love to know your BIG SECRET!” “SOUSUKEEEEEEE!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took so long; Rin is my favorite boy and I wanted to make sure this ending wasn't too authorservice-y. In a way, it still was since I came up with the scenario, but it could've been worse if I'd used my first draft.   
> Also I'd like to assure you all that Sousuke's line in the last paragraph wasn't written to be homophobic in any way; he's trying to say "You can't only like guys because I've seen you looking at ___ like that but if you were bi or pan I'd be okay with it". So please do not get on my case about that line being homophobic because I wrote it with good intentions. Besides, we all know Sousuke would support his buddy, right?

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading, lovelies ^w^  
> This was a work that I originally wrote on deviantART when I was new to fanfiction. But I loved it so much that I've decided to rewrite it better than before! There will be a total of five endings, one for each of the Iwatobi boys + Rin, but if anybody wants another character, you can request them in the comments section. (I may end up writing one for Sou even if no one requests it because who doesn't want to love on that big lug v///v)  
> As of right now, only Haru, Rin, and Nagisa have full endings, but Rin and Makoto's endings are in progress. I haven't gotten to work on Rei's yet because I need to finish Rin and Makoto ^^;;  
> Edit 9/1/17: Rin's ending is done and I'm working on Makoto's and Rei's right now. Please bear with me if it takes a while; I have to focus on my studies right now.  
> Edit 9/27/18: Good grief it's been a while! Since Dive to the Future came out I've been reworking BM like crazy. You may notice some changes as a result.   
> I hope you enjoy this! I worked really hard on it!


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